fireback

1 of 2

noun

fire·​back ˈfī(-ə)r-ˌbak How to pronounce fireback (audio)
: an often decorated cast-iron plate lining the back wall of a fireplace

fire back

2 of 2

verb

fired back; firing back; fires back

intransitive verb

: to answer someone quickly and usually angrily
After his statement, his opponents fired back.
often used with at
She fired back at her critics.

transitive verb

: to utter as a quick and angry response
He fired back a comparable insult …Drew T. Brown III

Examples of fireback in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Noun
The head was followed by bright yellowish-orange tail feathers, easily identifiable as the fireback. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 2 Apr. 2025 There’s also a cast iron fireback in the fireplace in the living room. Joanne Kempinger Demski, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, 26 May 2022
Verb
Such has been the spread of Seedance videos that Hollywood has been quick to fire back. Abid Rahman, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026 Canada's curling team has fired back at Sweden after the Swedes accused the Canadians of cheating at the Winter Olympics. Jackson Thompson, FOXNews.com, 15 Feb. 2026 An attorney who represented him in the immigration court fired back at the lawsuit and its Venezuelan plaintiffs. Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 13 Feb. 2026 According to police, Navarro fired a gun into a crowd of people in an apartment and was killed when someone fired back. Bella Monaco, Dallas Morning News, 11 Feb. 2026 Police fired back, killing Madison. Mike Toole, CBS News, 11 Feb. 2026 Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche fired back at Massie's claims of unwarranted redactions. John Parkinson, ABC News, 10 Feb. 2026 McMillan, a man of Polynesian descent, stood, adrenaline still surging, and fired back with a taunt, using the N-word. Devon Henderson, New York Times, 7 Feb. 2026 Now Biggs has fired back with a from-scratch design that hit 411 mph (661 km/h). New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Noun

1566, in the meaning defined above

Verb

1880, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of fireback was in 1566

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Cite this Entry

“Fireback.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fireback. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.

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